Legion Lost #1

DC

Written by Fabian Nicieza; Art and cover by Pete Woods; Colors by Brad Anderson

Legion Lost #1 is by far the worst of DC's "New 52" titles that I've read so far. It's also just a poorly plotted and drawn comic in general. I was generally excited to read this series because Fabian Nicieza helmed the underappreciated (and now cancelled) Red Robin series. Artist Pete Woods also pencilled some pretty stellar Robin comics from the '90s and recent runs for Action Comics and Superman: World of New Krypton. Plus, the Legion of Super-Heroes always dealt with time travel in their post-Zero Hour series. That's usually pretty awesome, right? A story about futuristic heroes lost in the 21st centuary was set to be an inside-the-park home run or at least a bunt for me. Enough with the baseball analogies, though. I was baffled by Legion Lost's plot because Nicieza throws you into the action with little setup. It's an incoherent mess.

Legion Lost is filled to the brim with characters yelling incoherent sci-fi babble at each other. A "time bubble" is central to the ludicrous plot. Even a captured villain (surprise, surprise) isn't rewarding at the end. I had little to no context for the action. This comic was the equivalent of reading a Michael Bay summer blockbuster. Pete Woods usually delivers sharp and professional art, but every character model and action setpiece looks rough and sketch-like here. Background details are smudged and blurred, too. It's very off-putting.

One positive: The rebooted Legion Lost team is an eclectic bunch. This issue stars Wildfire, Dawnstar, Timber Wolf, Tyroc, Tellus, Gates, and Chameleon Girl on a mission to save the future. We learn that they must remain in the 21st century because of some contracted pathogen that could obliterate the 31st century.

I could go on and on about why I disliked this issue. Just avoid it. I could only see the biggest Legion of Super-Heroes fan on this planet enjoying this waste of paper. Sorry for all the hate. (www.dccomics.com / www.artofpete.com)